Massapequa loses to Honolulu in Little League World Series opener

The Massapequa Coast Little League team was shown no mercy — at least until the end — by its opponent in its Little League World Series opener Friday night in South Williamsport, Pa.

Honolulu Little League started the game with a literal bang and tossed a combined no-hitter in a 12-0 trouncing of the Long Island club.

The game ended by mercy rule after the fifth inning, as Honolulu scored in each frame.
Honolulu’s leadoff hitter, shortstop Kekoa Payanal, knocked pitcher Joey Lionetti’s third pitch of the game over the left-field wall for a home run, giving his squad a quick 1-0 lead.
In the second inning, first baseman Tau Purcell drove home Cohen Sakamoto with an RBI single to give Hawaii a 2-0 advantage.

Initially, Massapequa staved off a potential offensive onslaught with decent outfield defense.

Heading into the third inning, they replaced their ace, Lionetti, on the mound with Danny Fregara, in the first of three pitching changes.

Honolulu’s star pitcher Jaron Lancaster had seven strikeouts in just three innings before he gave way to Sakamoto, who finished the game.

Lancaster led off the third inning with a home run over the center-field wall making it 3-0.
In the fourth inning, Honolulu scored three runs. Payanal connected for his second home run, a two-run shot. Lancaster tripled to deep center, then scored on a wild pitch to make the score 6-0.

In the top of the fifth, Lancaster added an RBI on a sacrifice fly as the Honolulu juggernaut added six more runs, with, officially saying aloha — for the night anyway.

Massapequa will play its next game in the double-elimination tournament on Sunday (2 p.m., ABC) against the winner of a Saturday night game between the teams from Hollidaysburg, Pa., and Middleboro, Mass.

Honolulu will get to rest until Monday night, when it faces the team from Pearland, Texas.